Most common 1999 GMC Sierra problems
Share of the 600 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
GMC Sierra complaints by model year
Best Sierra years: 2020, 2018, 2009. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1995, 1996, 1997. Compare all years →
1999 GMC Sierra recalls (5)
Structure › Body › Tailgate › Hinge and attachments
Certain pickup trucks have galvanized-braided-steel tailgate support cables used to support the tailgate in the full open (horizontal) position. Over time these cables can corrode and fracture when loads are applied to them.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the galvanized support cables with stainless steel support cables. In addition, dealers are to inspect the tailgate hinge and replace it, if necessary.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles May experience unwanted antilock brake system (ABS) activation. This condition is more likely to occur in environmentally corrosive areas.
Remedy: Dealers are to remove the wheel speed sensor and thoroughly clean the wheel speed sensor mounting surface on the bearing, apply rust inhibitor to the cleaned surface, grease the mounting surface, reinstall the wheel…
Parking brake
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions and built with either pbr parking brake systems or trw parking brake systems, the parking brake friction linings May wear to an extent where the parking brake can become ineffective in immobilizing a parked vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will install a low-force spring clip retainer for vehicles equipped with a pbr parking brake system. On vehicles equipped with the trw parking brake system, dealers will install a redesigned parking brake cable…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a clearance condition between the front right-hand brake pipe and the body cross sill that could decrease to the point of allowing contact during the life of the vehicle.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the front right-hand brake pipe for wear. If there are signs of wear, this section of the brake pipe will be replaced with a new designed brake pipe section.
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: extended cab 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. Some of these vehicles have a lower than specified torque on all three of the steering gear to frame attachment bolts. The bolts can loosen over time allowing the steering gear to move.
Remedy: Dealers will retorque the steering gear to frame bolts to proper specifications.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 10 possible defects involving the 1999 GMC Sierra:
Steering gear/grame attaching bolts
These vehicles May have lower than specified torque on the three steering gear to frame attachment bolts.these bolts May loosen causing unresponsive steering and eventually the bolts May back out or fracture, resulting in loss of steering control
Brake line corrosion failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received Defect Petition DP10-003 on March 2, 2010, requesting the investigation of model year (MY) 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4WD pickup trucks for corrosion failures of the vehicle brake lines.DP10-003 was granted and on March 30, 2010, Preliminary Evaluation PE10-010 was opened on more than six million model year 1999 through 2003 light trucks and sport utility…
Unwanted low-speed ABS activation
In a letter dated August 29, 2005, GM notified odi that it was recalling certain model year 1999 through 2002 c/k pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles to correct a problem with anti-lock brake system (ABS) wheel speed sensor corrosion that May result in unwanted ABS activation and extended stopping distances during low-speed braking (recall 05v-379).GM's recall covers approximately 804,000 vehicles currently…
Parking brake failure
Odi opened pe03-057 to assess parking brake ineffectiveness in the subject vehicles.these vehicles are equipped with four wheel disc brakes that incorporate a single-shoe drum-in-hat parking brake independent of the service brakes.complaint and warranty data indicate that the parking brake linings tend to wear out early in the life of the vehicle (at an average of 24 months in service), reducing the parking brake…
Throttle sticking
There is no summary currently available
Tailgate support cables
General motors is conducting a safety recall to remove and replace the tailgate support cables installed in 805,368 model year 1999 and 2000 gmt 800 model vehicles.the model year 1999 and 2000 gmt-800 series vehicles that will be campaigned had contributed a significant majority of the total complaints (87%) and injuries (79%) associated with the tailgate support cable breakage in the model year 1998 - 2000 c/k…
Parking brake failure
In a letter dated April 20, 2005, GM notified NHTSA that it had decided that defects that relate to motor vehicle safety exist in certain model year (my) 1999-2002 c/k 1500 series (pbr parking brake system) and my 2001-2005 c/k 2500 and 3500 series (trw parking brake system) pickups with manual transmissions.according to GM, some of these vehicles May have conditions that cause the friction linings to wear to an…
Tailgate cable breakage
General motors filed a defect notice 04v-129 on March 17, 2004, which outlines a program to replace the tailgate cables installed in affected model year 2000-2004 vehicles.refer to odi's closing report for ea04-005 for additional information.odi is aware of reports of tailgate cable breakage occurring in model year 1999 and earlier vehicles.these vehicles were equipped with similar tailgate cables as addressed by…
Throttle sticking closed
This investigation involves the general motors corporation (GM)throttle body (tb) utilized in model year (my) 1999-2002 silverado, sierra, tahoe, suburban, avalanche and yukon (subject vehicle(s)) with 4.8l, 5.3l, and 6.0l engines. The tb valve May intermittently stick in a closed position.in such a situation, an operator May apply additional accelerator pedal force to increase engine speed.the application of…
Parking brake failure
Odi's review of complaint data received since the close of ea04-011 revealed no indication that the investigation should be re-opened.more details can be found in the federal register notice enclosed in the dp05-009 public file.odi reserves the right to reopen the investigation in the future should conditions warrant.
What 1999 GMC Sierra owners say
Brakes all 338 →
Dt: the caller said at speeds 3-10 MPH the anti lock brakes would kick in, and the consumer would not be able to stop the vehicle. She said there was a recall and she had the recall work done. The caller had the hubs were replaced once less than two years ago at manufacturer's s expense. Dealer said the problem was in the hub and that was not covered by the recall. Manufacturer offered no help for free. She said her husband has had a close call with a wall. He stopped in time. She said the vehicle had to be put in park once to get vehicle to stop. The truck was returned to the dealer the day after the recall work was performed to have the hubs replaced., which the dealer told her that was causing the problem. GM refused to pay for the hubs even though this was the cause of the documented problem in the recall. …
I was driving and went to apply brakes for the stop sign ahead, and I had no brakes. Once I had the truck home I parked it. I determined that the brake lines had rusted through by having a piece of cardboard under the truck to locate the leaking brake fluid. I'm so lucky that I didn't have a camper on the truck and had gone on vacation to colorado, as I intended this to be my recreational vehicle for this purpose. I am haunted by the possible scenarios and crashes that could have occurred to me and my family. Wife, son, and two daughters. This needs to be addressed before other human beings end up seriously injured, traumatized, or death being very highly likely. So I have a near new truck sitting in the yard for nearly the past five years. My attempt to install after-market brake lines has been a failure. GM should be responsible for this catastrophic failure. …
Suspension all 39 →
Dt: at slow speeds there is a clanking sound in the brakes, and can be felt in the brake pedal on the consumer's foot. This has been a problem since 2002. The vehicle has been in the repair shop 3 times for the same problem. The first time, the vehicle was involved in an accident in the parking lot. The owner was driving 5 MPH or less and had no brake control, and the pedal was working against the driver. The owner took the vehicle back to the shop 2 more times for the same problem. GM, the manufacturer came and inspected the truck. GM would not allow the truck to be fixed by the dealership until they inspected it. The dealerships report stated that they replaced the right front hub bearing after testing and the found bearing caused unwanted ABS operation during slow speeds. There were no injuries in the crash.
Brake fluid leaking all over bottom of truck spraying out I took to a mechanic and had 1000 dollar brake line job done got truck back and ABS brakes worked like manual brakes had a sensor and 2 ball joints replaced im being ripped of from a GMC loyal customer I was I guess back to Ford or Toyota for my next new trucks I had warranty issues you cheap [redacted] wouldnt pay for a waterpump that was leaking only a 7 dollar gasket also had a transmission on my work van repair and then replaced after a month of run around.
Speed control & acceleration all 39 →
Tl contact owns a 1999 GMC Sierra. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle did not slow down; therefore, he used the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. He then noticed brake fluid on the floor of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local repair shop. The contact received minor bruises due to the sudden stop. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure and current mileages were approximately 142,000.
Accelerator pedal sticking when attempting to accelerate, the gas pedal sticks requiring more than average force to engage. This becomes a dangerous situation in parking lots or close quarters, such as in traffic as it May lead to a collision with nearby vehicles or woes yet, a nearby pedestrian. This condition started slowly and gradually became worse until it happens at almost every initial accelerate from start up.
1999 GMC Sierra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 4.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 GMC Sierra a good car?
Based on 600 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Sierra rates avoid: 6.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sierra at the same age. It is one of the Sierra years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 GMC Sierra?
The brakes — 338 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the suspension (39) and speed control & acceleration (39).
How many recalls does the 1999 GMC Sierra have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1999 GMC Sierra, the most recent from March 8, 2006 (hinge and attachments). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the GMC Sierra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 1995, 1996 and 1997. See the full GMC Sierra years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 GMC Sierra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 32% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.